Codex Alimentarius Commission passes ractopamine residue standard by two votes
Foreword:
The United Nations Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) is meeting in Rome, Italy. Regarding the ractopamine standard that Taiwan, China is concerned about, the latest result came this evening (the 5th). The member countries present ultimately passed a vote of 69 to 67, a margin of two votes, to establish a maximum residue limit (MRL) for ractopamine. This will mean that the CAC recognizes the legitimacy of using leanness-enhancing agents, and it also casts new uncertainty over Taiwan, China's decision on whether to lift the ban on American beef.
(Central News Agency reporter Yang Shumin, Taipei, the 5th) The Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) conference passed the establishment of a leanness-enhancing agent standard. The maximum residue limits for ractopamine are: 10 ppb for both the muscle and fat of pigs and cattle, 40 ppb for the liver of pigs and cattle, and 90 ppb for the kidney of pigs and cattle; no limit was set for turkey.
The Council of Agriculture of the Executive Yuan stated this evening that the draft residue standard for ractopamine (commonly known as leanness-enhancing agent), after the United States proposed a vote to switch to handling the case by voting, was passed by vote at the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) at this evening Taipei time, afternoon Rome time.
The Council of Agriculture explained that the vote passed this evening Taipei time was 69 votes in favor and 67 votes against, passing by a margin of 2 votes.
The earlier vote on the United States proposal to switch to handling the case by voting was 68 votes in favor and 64 votes against, passing by a margin of 4 votes to adopt a voting system rather than the original consensus decision method for handling the case.
The Council of Agriculture stated that the maximum residue limits for ractopamine set in the draft at the CAC conference are: 10 ppb for both the muscle and fat of pigs and cattle, 40 ppb for the liver of pigs and cattle, and 90 ppb for the kidney of pigs and cattle; no limit was set for turkey. 1010705
Chen Chun: Set the ractopamine residue limit for imported beef according to Codex (Newtalk 2012.07.05)
Lin Chaoyi / Taipei report
After the United Nations Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex) passed the draft ractopamine residue standard as an international standard by a vote of 69 to 67 at around dusk Taipei time on the 5th, Premier Chen Chun said this evening that, in accordance with national conditions and the dietary habits of the people, and with reference to the Codex standard, a safe tolerance level for ractopamine in imported beef would be set.
Chen Chun pointed out that since Codex has established a safe tolerance standard, the scope of food safety has already been confirmed. The government will, in accordance with national conditions and the dietary habits of the people, and with reference to the Codex standard, set a safe tolerance level for ractopamine in imported beef.
Chen Chun stated that the Executive Yuan will still promote related policies according to the 16-character principle of "safe tolerance, separation of beef and pork, mandatory labeling, exclusion of offal."
The Executive Yuan believes that, in order to take into account both the dietary habits of the people and domestic industry development, the scope of lifting the ban on ractopamine should be limited to beef; and to protect consumers' right to choose, mandatory labeling will indeed be enforced; and imported beef will continue to be inspected batch by batch to protect public health.
As to whether an administrative order would be used, Chen Chun pointed out that the Executive Yuan respects the cross-party negotiation resolution of the Legislative Yuan, and hopes that under the outstanding leadership of Legislative Yuan President Wang Jin-pyng, the amendment procedure for the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation will be smoothly passed during the extraordinary session of the current legislative session.
According to the Council of Agriculture this evening, the maximum residue limits for ractopamine set by the Codex conference are: 10 ppb for both the muscle and fat of pigs and cattle, 40 ppb for the liver of pigs and cattle, and 90 ppb for the kidney of pigs and cattle; no limit was set for turkey.
CAC resolution sets leanness-enhancing agent standard (Central News Agency reporter Zheng Jieyi, Rome, the 5th, special dispatch)
At the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) conference, because of divided opinions on whether to establish a residue standard for ractopamine (commonly known as leanness-enhancing agent), the matter was handled by voting instead. The voting result was 69 votes in favor and 67 votes against, passing the establishment of the leanness-enhancing agent standard.
This annual meeting, held in Rome, mainly discussed the issue of growth promoters in meat production. There was heated discussion among all parties on whether to establish a leanness-enhancing agent standard, and because opinions were divided, it was finally decided to change from consensus decision to handling by voting. 1010705
At the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) conference, because of divided opinions on whether to establish a residue standard for ractopamine (commonly known as leanness-enhancing agent), the matter was handled by voting instead, passing the establishment of the leanness-enhancing agent standard.